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Financing Your Education

Attending Boston University, like most prestigious universities, takes an investment. The good news is that you aren’t in this alone. We invest in you too, by making merit awards and need-based financial aid available to help meet those expenses. Last year our undergraduates received $150 million in financial aid.

BU offers a wide variety of merit scholarships, some covering full tuition. For more details, including selection criteria, go to the Scholarships section.

Need-based grants are awarded based on a combination of calculated financial eligibility and academic merit. To apply for need-based aid, you must complete two financial aid forms: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service (CSS)/Financial Aid PROFILE. For more details, visit the Financial Aid page. We strongly recommend that families submit these financial aid applications. Certain scholarships are offered to academically talented candidates who apply for need-based aid and show minimal or no calculated financial eligibility, but whose calculated family contributions do not substantially exceed the cost of attending BU.